The 2025 edition of the MLB All-Star Game concluded with a 7-6 National League win in a home run tiebreaker, giving the NL its first win in the Midsummer Classic since 2023. The reigning champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, attempted to make a statement with multiple All-Stars in the game but came up short. The Dodgers went 1-for-5 with Shohei Ohtani having the lone hit from the champions. These performances at the plate may signify a struggling second half of the season for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers had three players in the lineup, four if you include the Kershaw legacy pick. The three batters voted in were DH Shohei Ohtani, 1B Freddie Freeman, and C Will Smith. Ohtani went 1-for-2 with a run as Arizona’s Ketel Marte batted him in. Freeman and Smith, on the other hand, went a combined 0-for-4 in the batter’s box. These “All-Stars” didn’t shine in the bright lights this time around.
Luckily for the National League side, the rest of the team stepped up to win the game for the team. Kyle Schwarber was the hero of the night with his three home run performance in the home run swing off to break a 6-6 tie after the ninth inning. The National League has won two of the last 12 All-Star Games.
The second half of the MLB season is where teams can make or break their season. Players fall into slumps or reach new heights as the race for the playoffs tightens after every game. Some players are poised to break out in the second part of the baseball year, unlike the Dodgers’ All-Stars, who could well hit new lows.
Ohtani is consistent enough that he well may win his third MVP this season, but Freeman and Smith might have launched their second-half slumps with their All-Star game performances. The aging veteran in Freeman and the experienced Smith have been mainstays in the Dodgers’ lineup for multiple seasons. Their bats going cold during the All-Star game, may signify a frozen second half of the season.
The Dodgers finished the first half of the 2025 season relatively well, leading the NL West and having the best record in the league for a moment. They struggled with injuries on the pitching side but managed to come out unscathed overall. The team’s All-Stars didn’t make a splash in Atlanta this week, which is worrying for their goal of winning a World Series for the second year in a row.
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